Chatham

Ecosystem Overview

The Chatham ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 94 taxonomic genera. Located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #8 for species diversity among 75 Barnstable County County natural areas, placing it in the 89th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 75 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#8 of 75 locations

89th percentile for diversity

vs. Barnstable County

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Halichoerus grypus

Grey Seal

Very Common60 obs.

Limulus polyphemus

horseshoe crab

Very Common43 obs.

Larus smithsonianus

American Herring Gull

Very Common35 obs.

Pinus rigida

pitch pine

Very Common23 obs.

Leucophaeus atricilla

Laughing Gull

Very Common23 obs.

Crepidula fornicata

Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Common20 obs.

Larus marinus

great black-backed gull

Common17 obs.

Hirundo rustica

barn swallow

Common16 obs.

Carcinus maenas

European green crab

Common14 obs.

Artemisia stelleriana

Oldwoman

Common13 obs.

Somateria mollissima

Common Eider

Common12 obs.

Lathyrus japonicus

sea pea

Occasional12 obs.

Calidris pusilla

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Occasional12 obs.

Tringa semipalmata

Willet

Occasional12 obs.

Sterna hirundo

common tern

Occasional11 obs.

Codium fragile

Dead Man'S Fingers

Occasional11 obs.

Toxicodendron radicans

poison ivy

Occasional10 obs.

Gavia immer

great northern loon

Rare10 obs.

Mercenaria mercenaria

hard shell

Rare10 obs.

Cancer irroratus

Rock Crab

Rare10 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in Chatham. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Barnstable County County, Massachusetts

Nearby Natural Areas

Barnstable County

Importance: 0.43

100 species

0% vs. current

Bourne

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Eastham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Barnstable

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Dennis

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Brewster

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Falmouth

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Harwich

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Barnstable County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Barnstable County County, Massachusetts

Nearby Natural Areas

Barnstable County

Importance: 0.43

100 species

0% vs. current

Bourne

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Eastham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Barnstable

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Dennis

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Brewster

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Falmouth

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Harwich

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 75 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#8 of 75 locations

89th percentile for diversity

vs. Barnstable County

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Halichoerus grypus

Grey Seal

Very Common60 obs.

Limulus polyphemus

horseshoe crab

Very Common43 obs.

Larus smithsonianus

American Herring Gull

Very Common35 obs.

Pinus rigida

pitch pine

Very Common23 obs.

Leucophaeus atricilla

Laughing Gull

Very Common23 obs.

Crepidula fornicata

Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Common20 obs.

Larus marinus

great black-backed gull

Common17 obs.

Hirundo rustica

barn swallow

Common16 obs.

Carcinus maenas

European green crab

Common14 obs.

Artemisia stelleriana

Oldwoman

Common13 obs.

Somateria mollissima

Common Eider

Common12 obs.

Lathyrus japonicus

sea pea

Occasional12 obs.

Calidris pusilla

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Occasional12 obs.

Tringa semipalmata

Willet

Occasional12 obs.

Sterna hirundo

common tern

Occasional11 obs.

Codium fragile

Dead Man'S Fingers

Occasional11 obs.

Toxicodendron radicans

poison ivy

Occasional10 obs.

Gavia immer

great northern loon

Rare10 obs.

Mercenaria mercenaria

hard shell

Rare10 obs.

Cancer irroratus

Rock Crab

Rare10 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.